SM OU Balanced Team with Scarfed Blacephalon



Introduction

Hey, I'm pretty new to making competitive teams, so I wanted some help with my team. At its core, it is a Balanced team with Scarfed Blacephalon as its main win condition. I had a pretty good time making and battling with it but I would like some suggestions on how to improve upon this.

The Team


Blacephalon @ Choice Scarf Ability: Beast Boost EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast
- Trick
- Hidden Power [Ice]

So this was the Pokemon that basically made me want to make a team in the first place. I really enjoyed the design, and set of it, and I wanted to make a team around it. After playing around a bit, I thought that scarf would be the best item for it, as it makes it a revenge killer, as well as a late game sweeper thanks to Beast Boost. The moves are pretty standard, except for possibly Trick, which I use mainly to cripple more stall-y teams.


Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers Ability: Intimidate EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 Spe Impish Nature
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn

After Blacephalon, I needed a rock setter to help secure KOs, as well as a nice pivot, so probably the best option for that was Landorus-T. I chose a pretty standard set with Rocks to help Blacephalon sweep in the late game.


Ferrothorn @ Leftovers Ability: Iron Barbs EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SpD Careful Nature
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Protect

Ferrothorn is basically the wall of the entire team. It eats up anything that the other members can't, and sets up spikes to help the sweep. Leech Seed gives it some nice recovery, and Protect amplifies that, as well as gives it a little mind-game against Mega-Lopunny and Mega-Cham, some pretty big threats for this team.



Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z Ability: Electric Surge EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Naive Nature
- Wild Charge
- U-turn
- Taunt
- Hidden Power [Ice]

This physical Tapu Koko basically does what it sets out to do, bait out the special walls, and KO them with the Gigavolt Havoc. Not only that, it is a great lead because of Taunt, and if it gets into a sticky situation, it can just U-Turn out, giving me a nice U-Turn core of sorts with Lando-T.


Latias-Mega @ Latiasite Ability: Levitate EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Timid Nature IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Recover

Looking at the team, I realized that I still needed some form of hazard control, as well as a Mega-Evo, so I decided to go with Mega-Latias. I'm running the more bulky set with Bolt-Beam coverage, although its main job on the team is just to defog.


Tyranitar @ Assault Vest Ability: Sand Stream EVs: 248 HP / 24 Atk / 236 SpD Careful Nature
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam

I'm pretty sure this Pokemon is mandatory as long as Naganadel is as popular as it is. It hard counters Naganadel, as well as Pursuit traps annoying Pokemon that could otherwise prove to be a problem for the team, and is all in all a great special wall as well.

Conclusion

After quite a few games with this team, I am enjoying myself with it. However, I can see some issues, mainly that Blacephalon is almost my only win condition, and if it gets low, or dies, the match becomes way harder than it should. I also feel that Mega-Latias is a weak pick, but I do need defog, and I can't really see a better choice for that slot. Any advice would be appreciated, anything is up for changing, except I would really prefer that Blacephalon remains on the team, since it is my favorite Pokemon on this team. Thanks!

Blacephalon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast
- Trick
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 Spe
Impish Nature
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SpD
Careful Nature
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Protect

Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Wild Charge
- U-turn
- Taunt
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Latias-Mega @ Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Recover

Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 24 Atk / 236 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
 

DKM

Are you feeling nervous? Are you having fun?
is a Social Media Contributoris a Contributor to Smogon
Hey. Cool team. I'll suggest a few changes.


380-m.png
Latias-Mega @ Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Recover

CM Latias adds another Win Condition to the team. It's still walled by AV Tyranitar but that can be worn down by rocks + spikes.


645-s.png
Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 Spe
Impish Nature
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
- Defog
- U-turn

Now that Latias is CM, you need a defogger. I tried Defog Landorus and it does suprisingly well, and I think it fits nicely on the team.


598.png
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SpD
Careful Nature
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Stealth Rock

The Last thing would be to put rocks on Ferrothorn. I like protect for things like Lopunny, but defensive Landorus + Latias pretty much cover it.

I hope these changes were helpful :]
 
Hey, thanks for the advice! I think putting defog on Landorus is a pretty awesome idea, it comes out a lot, and forces a lot of switches. The addition of CM on Latias makes winning a lot easier, but I was thinking to change up its offensive moves a bit by changing Thunderbolt to Psyshock. This would give it some stab that would hurt even without CM boosts, and let it break through some special walls if Koko can't.

You solved a lot of my problems with some pretty cool ideas, and that helps me a lot. Thanks!
 
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So after playing a lot more with this team today, I've realized a major problem with this team is the lack of any form of priority, allowing lots o set-up sweepers to just tear through everything if I let them. To counteract this, I was thinking of adding SD Mega-Scizor, or SD Mega-Mawile. Which one do you think would be better on this team?
 

DKM

Are you feeling nervous? Are you having fun?
is a Social Media Contributoris a Contributor to Smogon
So after playing a lot more with this team today, I've realized a major problem with this team is the lack of any form of priority, allowing lots o set-up sweepers to just tear through everything if I let them. To counteract this, I was thinking of adding SD Mega-Scizor, or SD Mega-Mawile. Which one do you think would be better on this team?

Probably Mawile. It's ability to break things will help Blacephalon.
 

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